Category: Encouragement

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Discipleship Encouragement

What is it to you?

Peter must have observed the camaraderie between Jesus and John the beloved, long enough for him to question Jesus about John’s fate. He wondered why John was the only disciple that was so close to the master, to the extent he laid his head on his breasts comfortably while conversations ensued between them.

The closeness must have been noticed by other disciples, however, trust garrulous Peter to always voice out his thoughts.

He was amazed to see how quickly they had bonded without any qualms but for himself, he was questioned about his Love for Christ.

Peter had decided to embark on his once abandoned fishing expedition, but was stopped halfway, courtesy of Christ’s intervention. Christ placed him in a position where he had to validate his Love for the him. However, it wasn’t only Peter that initially left to attend to his business, other disciples followed suit, including John the beloved. None was brave enough to call Peter back to his senses and remind him of how they had left all to follow Jesus. So he wondered why this beloved disciple wasn’t placed in the same hot spot Jesus’ placed him seeing they all went “on a fishing” together. He was amazed to see how quickly they had bonded without any qualms but for himself, he was questioned about his Love for Christ.

Can Christ not trust his Love for him like he did John’s without questioning him to ascertain it? Was Christ not partial in his ordeals with his disciples?

The answer he received from Christ was a humbling one, “… What is it to you?Follow thou me.” That was enough to steer the wheel of Peter’s attention from John’s walk with God to his personal walk with the Saviour.

Recently, I have meditated more on the words of Jesus and discovered that no matter how short they are, contain great lessons if we will be patient enough to ponder on them, while allowing the Holy Spirit to chart the course of our thoughts.

Many have left the Faith because they have failed to understand that Jesus relates with every believer in unique ways that will strengthen their faith in him

This biblical story line is not only about Peter, but also about us. After all, the scriptures were written for our learning and edification.The rapport between Jesus Christ and John was indeed an enviable one. It was evident that their hearts were closely knitted. Peter, on the other hand, who was always on the move to defend Christ, as seen in his swift action in slicing off the ear of one of the priest’s servants when Jesus was about to be taken away, didn’t enjoy such closeness( so, he thought)

“ What is it to you?” Is Jesus Christ’s question to as many believers who are busy placing their walk with God on a scale of comparison with a fellow believer’s, and thinking that Christ is partial in his dealings with us.

Jesus expected more maturity from Peter at that instance because he was interested in his spiritual stability and he utilized the best approach for Peter

Many have left the Faith because they have failed to understand that Jesus relates with every believer in unique ways that will strengthen their faith in him. If it will take John’s leaning on Christ’s breast to be assured of the Saviour’s love for him or if it will take Thomas’s request to see Jesus’ pierced hands for him to believe in his resurrection, so be it; As long as the aim is the growth of their faith in God. What about the parable of the prodigal son? How his Father threw a huge feast to welcome him home whereas the older son hasn’t enjoyed such a benefit ( or so he thought).

Your relationship with God is different from another’s, although the foundation is the same. Also, God’s expectations of you is also different from others. Jesus expected more maturity from Peter at that instance because he was interested in his spiritual stability and he utilized the best approach for Peter.

This is a clarion call to shift our gaze from every distraction that will cause our Faith in God to dwindle, and fix it on the Savior.Whatever it is you admire in the lives of other believers and desire in your life, let it be to only spur your walk with God and not hamper it by breeding envy. The goal is following Jesus till the end. No matter what others have done or haven’t, your sole gaze should be on Jesus and serving him with whatever gift(s) he has given you.

So, dear friends, whatever it is? What is that to us? We should still keep following Jesus.

God bless us.

Victoria C. Aladi
Categories
Encouragement

GOD’S WILL AND GOD’S GRACE.

 Every Christian is so keen on knowing the will of God for their lives. This is actually what God wants us to do– to seek his will concerning our lives and partner with him in bringing it to fulfillment.

God has made it clear to us in the scriptures that having his fear, is the beginning of wisdom. He also enjoined us to get understanding alongside our getting of wisdom.

When we seek the will of God, which is wisdom in itself, do we move further to understand what the will of God entails?

God’s will is all-encompassing. It includes the good and unpleasant times; However everything is meant for our good. It will not only include the bright moments our minds have painted them to be, but also involve moments where we would have to drink the bitter content from the cup of his will( that cup Jesus wished he could evade unless it was truly the Father’s will for him to drink it).

Many do not foresee the stage where we would be given the cup to gulp down its bitter contents that’ll leave unforgettable scars, like those on the hands and feet of Jesus.

No wonder many complain when it gets to that part of God’s will that looks unpleasant. They devise schemes to evade drinking the content, and like Jonah, they end up in a similar situation.

When I consider the life of apostle Paul in the scriptures, I discovered that God reassures him often of his sufficient grace.

Why?

 It is because the bitter content in that cup cannot be drunk willingly by any natural man. We can never feel like gulping down its content. Even Jesus prayed, “…O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

He knew that human will cannot handle it because it is weak and fearful.

Paul suffered a lot of unpleasant circumstances( 2Corinth. 11: 23-27) but he kept trudging ahead in God’s will because God’s sufficient grace was upon his life.

God’s will is a sumptuous meal of HIS blessings, spiced with some trials and tribulations and washed down with a drink of calvary experiences

Jesus was able to embrace calvary when God’s angels ministered and strengthened him for that gruesome experience at the cross.

Therefore, friends, when we pray for God’s will to be done in our lives, let’s understand that there is a cup of bitter content reserved for us to drink, and we must prepare our hearts to seek God’s grace until he strengthens us to drink it. According to Mark 10:39 (KJV)”… And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized:”

Jesus has affirmed that we must drink the contents of that Cup if we truly want the full will of God to be done in our lives.

 Don’t box God’s will into a comfortable place because it exceeds that zone. God’s will is a sumptuous meal of HIS blessings, spiced with some trials and tribulations and washed down with a drink of calvary experiences (according to  Mark 10:30).

We shouldn’t be afraid of how the meal will taste, there’s a promise of sweetness after every bitter taste.

Remember, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead was greater than his death. He won our battles when he was raised from the dead. Hallelujah!

Therefore we must have this hope that there’s always light at the end of every tunnel. Greater blessings await us at the other end of the bitter side of God’s will. Let’s remember Matt. 5: 11-12; The Bible also promised that we would reap in due season if we faint not.

Therefore, to prevent the unnecessary disappointments most Christians claim to experience when they’ve reached that point, we must seek God’s grace, which is the only enabler for us to drink the content of that CUP.

Surely, there are rosy moments in God’s will, and there are refreshing and exhilarating experiences in store for us, but we must remember that a time will come when we must drink from the cup that Jesus drank from. Only God’s grace can help us accept the unsavory part of God’s will, and do it with tears in our eyes, broken hearts, and in loneliness.

It’s the fire meant to refine us.

Instead of running away from it, we should seek God’s sufficient grace like Jesus did at Gethsemane. After the Gethsemane experience, he was not scared to face calvary anymore. He gracefully encountered the grievous experience at calvary because God’s grace helped him.

As God strengthened Christ to bear his cross, so has he made his grace available to us, through Christ. No matter the bitter experiences we would encounter while doing God’s will, we must remember that God’s grace is the currency we spend when doing God’s will. It is never on our account. God foots the bill of his will in our lives. If he helped the saints of old, he will surely help us, and make us victorious.

Victoria C. Aladi